Mimi's Cafe plunges in class for Alameda

PLEASANTON, Calif. - Mimi's Cafe takes a huge class drop in Saturday's $50,000 Alameda County Fillies and Mares Handicap at Pleasanton Saturday.

Mimi's Cafe finished last in the Grade 1 Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap on June 3 at Hollywood Park, but the fillies and mares she chased in that race are far superior to those she will face in Saturday's 1 1/16-mile race.

Before the Milady, Mimi's Cafe raced fairly well in two minor stakes in Southern California, finishing fourth in the Fran's Valentine at Hollywood Park and third in the Pro or Con at Santa Anita.

Those races were on the grass, but Mimi's Cafe, a 4-year-old Snow Chief filly, has run well on the main track. Two of her four career wins and all four of her second-place finishes have been on the dirt.

Mimi's Cafe was trained by Julio Canani down south, and he sent her north to Terry Knight, who has given her two works, including a seven-furlong drill in 1:25.20 at Pleasanton.

Aloha Mangos, trained by Carmela Anderson, is stabled here year- round, which may give her a bit of an advantage. Last year, she was an excellent sprinter, but raced around two turns only once, finishing fourth in the San Leandro Handicap on the turf at Bay Meadows. That wasn't a bad effort for a filly who has run her best races sprinting and is bred for speed.

Aloha Mangos was off for 7 1/2 months after that turf race, and since returning to the races on May 5 at Bay Meadows, she has raced twice, finishing fifth and third in a pair of minor sprint stakes. She has had some long works recently and apparently has been pointed to this race.

Dream of Gifts was beaten a nose by Feverish in this race last year, and Feverish went on to win a Grade 2 stakes later in the year and has been Grade 1 placed this year.

Dream of Gifts, however, finished fifth in a six-horse field in a sprint stakes in her only start this year, and it remains to be seen if she is as good now as she was last year.